Smallbones soon made his re-appearance, informing Mr Vanslyperken that
his breakfast was ready for him, and Mr Vanslyperken, feeling himself
quite ready for his breakfast, went down below. A minute after he had
disappeared another man came up to relieve the one at the wheel, who, as
soon as he had surrendered up the spokes, commenced warming himself
after the most approved method, by flapping his arms round his body.
"The skipper's out o' sorts again this morning," said Obadiah after a
time. "I heard him muttering about the woman at the Lust Haus."
"Then, by Got, we will have de breeze," replied Jansen, who was a Dutch
seaman of huge proportions, rendered still more preposterous by the
multiplicity of his nether clothing.
"Yes, as sure as Mother Carey's chickens raise the gale, so does the
name of the Frau Vandersloosh. I'll be down and get my breakfast, there
may be keel-hauling before noon."
"Mein Got--dat is de tyfel."
"Keep her nor-east, Jansen, and keep a sharp look out for the boats."
"Got for dam--how must I steer the chip and look for de boats at de same
time? not possible."
"That's no consarn o' mine. Those are the orders, and I passes them--
you must get over the unpossibility how you can." So saying, Obadiah
Coble walked below.
We must do the same, and introduce the reader to the cabin of Lieutenant
Vanslyperken, which was not very splendid in its furniture. One small
table, one chair, a mattress in a standing bed-place, with curtains made
of bunting, an open cupboard, containing three plates, one tea-cup and
saucer, two drinking glasses, and two knives. More was not required, as
Mr Vanslyperken never indulged in company. There was another cupboard,
but it was carefully locked. On the table before the lieutenant was a
white wash-hand basin, nearly half full of burgoo, a composition of
boiled oatmeal and water, very wholesome, and very hot. It was the
allowance, from the ship's coppers, of Mr Vanslyperken and his servant
Smallbones. Mr Vanslyperken was busy stirring it about to cool it a
little, with a leaden spoon. Snarleyyow sat close to him, waiting for
his share, and Smallbones stood by, waiting for orders.
"Smallbones," said the lieutenant, after trying, the hot mess before
him, and finding that he was still in danger of burning his mouth,
"bring me the red-herring."
"Red-herring, sir?" stammered Smallbones.
"Yes," replied his master, fixing his little grey eye sternly on him,
"the red-herring."
"It's gone, sir!" replied Smallbones, with alarm.
"Gone! gone where?"
"If you please, sir, I didn't a-think that you would have touched it
after the dog had had it in his nasty mouth; and so, sir--if you please,
sir--"
"And so what?" said Vanslyperken, compressing his thin lips.
"I ate it myself--if you please--O dear, O dear!"
"You did, did you--you gluttonous scarecrow--you did, did you? Are you
aware that you have committed a theft--and are you aware of the
punishment attending it?"
"O sir, it was a mistake, dear sir," cried Smallbones, whimpering.
"In the first place, I will cut you to ribbons with the cat."
"Mercy, sir, O sir!" cried the lad, the tears streaming from his eyes.
"The thief's cat, with three knots in each tail."
Smallbones raised up his thin arms, and clasped his hands, pleading for
mercy.
"And after the flogging you shall be keel-hauled."
"O God!" screamed Smallbones, falling down on his knees, "mercy--mercy!"
But there was none. Snarleyyow, when he saw the lad go down on his
knees, flew at him, and threw him on his back, growling over him, and
occasionally looking at his master.
"Come here, Snarleyyow," said Mr Vanslyperken. "Come here, sir, and
lie down." But Snarleyyow had not forgotten the red-herring; so in
revenge he first bit Smallbones in the thigh, and then obeyed his
master.
"Get up, sir," cried the lieutenant.
Smallbones rose, but his temper now rose also; he forgot all that he was
to suffer, from indignation against the dog: with flashing eyes, and
whimpering with rage, he cried out, as the tears fell, and his arms
swung round, "I'll not stand this--I'll jump overboard--that I will:
fourteen times has that ere dog a-bitten me this week. I'd sooner die
at once than be made dog's meat of in this here way."
"Silence, you mutinous rascal, or I'll put you in irons."
"I wish you would--irons don't bite, if they hold fast. I'll run away--
I don't mind being hung--that I don't--starved to death, bitten to death
in this here way--"
"Silence, sir. It's over-feeding that makes you saucy."
"The Lord forgive you!" cried Smallbones, with surprise; "I've not had a
full meal--"
"A full meal, you rascal! there's no filling a thing like you--hollow
from top to bottom, like a bamboo."
"And what I does get," continued Smallbones, with energy, "I pays dear
for; that ere dog flies at me, if I takes a bit o' biscuit. I never has
a bite without getting a bite, and it's all my own allowance."
"A proof of his fidelity, and an example to you, you wretch," replied
the lieutenant, fondly patting the dog on the head.
"Well, I wish you'd discharge me, or hang me, I don't care which. You
eats so hearty, and the dog eats so hearty, that I gets nothing. We are
only victualled for two."
"You insolent fellow! recollect the thief's cat."
"It's very hard," continued Smallbones, unmindful of the threat "that
that ere beast is to eat my allowance, and be allowed to half eat me
too."
"You forget the keel-hauling, you scarecrow."
"Well, I hope I may never come up again, that's all."
"Leave the cabin, sir."
This order Smallbones obeyed.
"Snarleyyow," said the lieutenant, "you are hungry, my poor beast."
Snarleyyow put his forepaw up on his master's knee. "You shall have
your breakfast soon," continued his master, eating the burgoo between
his addresses to the animal. "Yes, Snarleyyow, you have done wrong this
morning; you ought to have no breakfast." Snarleyyow growled, "We are
only four years acquainted, and how many scrapes you have got me into,
Snarleyyow!" Snarleyyow here put both his paws upon his master's knee.
"Well, you are sorry, my poor dog, and you shall have some breakfast;"
and Mr Vanslyperken put the basin of burgoo on the floor, which the dog
tumbled down his throat most rapidly. "Nay, my dog, not so fast; you
must leave some for Smallbones; he will require some breakfast before
his punishment. There, that will do;" and Mr Vanslyperken wished to
remove the basin with a little of the burgoo remaining in it.
Snarleyyow growled, would have snapped at his master, but Mr
Vanslyperken shoved him away with the bell-mouth of his
speaking-trumpet, and recovering a portion of the mess, put it on the
table for the use of poor Smallbones. "Now, then, my dog, we will go on
deck." Mr Vanslyperken left the cabin, followed by Snarleyyow; but as
soon as his master was half way up the ladder, Snarleyyow turned back,
leaped on the chair, from the chair to the table, and then finished the
whole of the breakfast appropriated for Smallbones. Having effected
this, the dog followed his master.